I’ve always loved Asian food, but there’s quite a bit of inconsistency when it comes to dining out at Asian restaurants. In my experience, Chinese cuisine at fine dining restaurants is either really impressive or majorly disappointing. At the same time, I’m also a firm believer in “you won’t know if you don’t try,” so I headed out to try the elegant Chyna Club, located right off the casino floor at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. From the stunning interior of the restaurant to the menu items by Executive Chef Richard Chen, here’s what impressed me about my dining experience at Chyna Club.
Dark, cozy vibes
In a destination like Las Vegas, with a vibrant food scene and endless high-end restaurants to choose from, having good food alone isn’t enough to make your restaurant stand out. Chyna Club understood the “assignment” when decorating the interior of the space. The dining area has a nice, dark, and cozy atmosphere, perfect for a special dinner that feels right for Las Vegas. The dining room can seat a total of 141 people, broken into various rooms that make you feel like you’re still in an intimate setting.
As I dined here, I admired the mixed fabric elements, bookcase walls, and gold accents that made the restaurant’s vibe feel complete. Though it’s hard not to fixate on the exceptional food alone, take a minute to admire the beauty of the interior of this restaurant. It’s worth it. Of course, the excellent service here also influenced how I felt about the entire experience.
Food and service
Before you order at Chyna Club, let me warn you that the portions are significant. I expected the main meals to be almost like small plates — but I was wrong (and I had ordered small plate appetizers beforehand). The generous portions will leave you stuffed, yet you’ll keep taking another bite. The signature Chyna Club Chicken — made from crispy sliced chicken, black vinegar, honey-chile sauce, julienned ginger, bell peppers, and toasted sesame — is a can’t-miss dish if you love traditional Chinese crispy dishes. I was hesitant to order this one (as there’s a spicy red pepper symbol next to it on the menu), but it’s not too hot at all. It had just the right level of spice. I paired my menu selection with a side of chicken chow mein.
Even though these are menu items you’d expect to see at an average Chinese restaurant, the flavor of each dish is nowhere close to average. If you love bold-flavored dishes, Chyna Club is for you. I also really enjoyed the other signature menu item, the Spicy Mongolian American Wagyu beef, made with white asparagus, winter bamboo, shiitake mushrooms, and shishito peppers. If you plan to order this, ask your waiter to describe how the restaurant sources fresh Wagyu beef every week (I love beef, so I found learning about this fact fun).
Drinks and dessert
As I mentioned, every part of the dining experience at Chyna Club was top-tier — and that includes drinks and desserts too. For a Las Vegas restaurant to truly be memorable— and one that people return to — it can’t just deliver on the food itself. Pairings like beverages and endings like desserts play a huge role in completing a meal and adding the finishing touches that make a meal into an experience. Chyna Club’s drinks and desserts were, perhaps, my favorite part of the experience.
Drinks
No matter where I’m dining, there’s a high chance I’ll order the espresso martini (after all, I’m a coffee writer). Chyna Club’s variation of the espresso martini, titled the Café Canton V.2, is made with Black Sesame-Infused Volcan Reposado Tequila, Kahlua, vanilla, and espresso. Topped with three black sesame seeds instead of the traditional three espresso beans, I appreciated this Asian-inspired twist. The other cocktails on the menu were delicious too, complete with a massive ice cube in the center.
Dessert
Already stuffed at this point, deciding even to order a dessert was a bold move (though, not one I regret). The matcha cake is a must-try. Its perfectly layered construction is Instagram-worthy, and its taste is lightly sweet and slightly tart — just as you’d expect it to be. Layered with raspberry and yuzu, the matcha cake was the perfect ending to a great meal.
The Black Sesame Crème Brûlée on the dessert menu also caught my eye (but my stomach definitely couldn’t handle two desserts). This dessert menu item reflects Michelin-starred Chef Chen’s fusion of French techniques with traditional Chinese cuisine that sets his culinary creations apart.
